January 20, 2016

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 56 ISSUE 19 JANUARY 20, 2016

D N A ...

E R ’ Y E H T !

F F O

e officially v a h s n io t c ntatives? ’ Union ele e s t s n e r e p d e u r t t S The be our nex l il w o h W ge 4 kicked off. s News, pa Campu

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

A MIXED REVIEW A look at how Winter Carnival went this year Campus, page 3

EAT CHEAP WATERLOO

GAMING TO HELP

AN OPPOSING VIEW

The day-by-day Laurier club plays The opposite side guide to Waterloo for 72 hours to of the statue specials raise funds project Features, pages 8–9

Arts & Life, page 11

Opinion, page 14

FAN BUS SURPRISE Hawks continue to battle despite fan bus Sports, page 16

2 •

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

VOCAL CORD

What’s your cheap eat tip?

@cordnews

The Cord

CordNews

@cordwlusp

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

“Go shopping on student discount days.”

–Garrett Galvin, fifth-year business and math

WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR

Alternative-indie rock band X Ambassadors rocked the Turret Nightclub Sunday night. Lead vocals Sam Harris leads into the air during the performance.

Dear Life

“Shop at Sobey’s on Tuesdays.”

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. All submissions are not edited. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

–Sam Cooper, second-year health sciences

Dear Life, Who knew it was so easy to submit one of these? Contrary to popular belief, this is the first one I’ve submitted in four years here at Laurier.

Sincerely, xoxo gossip Braz

“Go to Zehrs on Tuesday to get 10 per cent discount.”

Dear “there’s more to your 20s than keg stands and flip cup” What sexual harassment on t-shirts?

All shirts, teams and slogans are approved before the week even starts.

We also have a mandatory sit down conversation about safe space. The environment is inclusive and actually a lot of fun. For some people winter carnival is how they met their really close friends.

You’re just bitter you didn’t get on a team.

Sincerely, A happy and intelligent winter carnival participant.

–Tim Wons, fourth-year business

“Wing night at Wilf’s.”

–Dalraj Bains, first-year business

Dear second teir presidential candidate, That fact that you have to roast your competition about having some fun is funny.

Nice fucking try.

Sincerely, Boom roasted Dear Life, Want to lose critical time this term dealing with a broken bone or concussion? NEITHER DO I. Kindly don’t just leave your garbage (Tim’s cups, juice bottles, broken pens, candy wrappers, etc.) on a busy staircase to trip people up!

Sincerely, Annoyed and endangered.

“I go to Tim Hortons, you can get a bagel and coffee for $2.”

–Mallika Gupte, secondyear business Compiled by Maddy Cutts Photos by Jessica Dik NEXT ISSUE: JANUARY 27, 2016

LOCAL NEWS EDITOR Erika Ymana eymana@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Will Huang whuang@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

FEATURES EDITOR Bethany Bowles bbowles@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR Brian Phillips bphillips@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shelby Blackley sblackley@thecord.ca

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Zach Guitor zguitor@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Maddy Cutts mcutts@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lena Yang lyang@thecord.ca

OPINION EDITOR Mitchell Consky mconsky@thecord.ca

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jessica Dik jdik@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Awolade jawolade@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Drew Yates dyates@thecord.ca

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Caitlyn Sageman csageman@thecord.ca

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus mmarsellus@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh fhsieh@thecord.ca

CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin kseverin@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros apatsiaouros@thecord.ca

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Kira Gelbard kgelbard@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE:

Kamil Ahmed Victoria Berndt Manjot Bhullar Paige Bush Mira Busscher Samantha Chow Hayley Colussi Killian Cuppage Alex Dulanovic Spencer Gibara Alena Guits Safina Husein Daniel Johnson Alexandra Juraschka Heather McLeod Nabiha Noorani Christian Paron Tarique Plummer Aliaa Sidawi Caroline Spicer

The culture surrounding Winter Carnival by Maddy Cutts and Shelby Blackley

EDITOR’S CHOICE ONLINE: X Ambassadors gallery by Will Huang

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.

COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community.

Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.

Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used for principal photography.

The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ ontpress.com.

The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 6,000 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000.

Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada.

The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.

PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff.

The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University.

Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Cord has an obligation to foster

freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body.

The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.

Quote of the week: “Zach’s addiction to porn.”

- Opinion Editor Mitchell Consky’s headline for Arts & Life Editor Zach Guitor’s editorial about addictions

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

Campus

• 3 CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN kseverin@thecord.ca

ADVOCACY

Freezing tuitions with the Students’ Union The Students’ Union, along with OUSA, is asking the Ontario government for a fully-funded tutition freeze KAITLYN SEVERIN CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

With the help from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance and their member schools, the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union is currently lobbying to the Ontario government for a fully-funded tuition freeze for university and postsecondary students.

Last week, OUSA kicked off their “Time Out Tuition” campaign to rally students to ask the Ontario government for a “funded freeze” on tuition.

According to OUSA’s news release, the loss tuition revenue will be fully subsidized by the increased provincial investment in Ontario universities.

The freeze will help reduce student debt while restoring public investment in education.

The tuition framework for Ontario’s higher education institutions is put in place every four years, the next being in 2017, for how universities can charge tuition.

In 2013, Brad Duguid, former minister of training, colleges and universities, announced a new policy to cap

“We recognized that it’s an investment that the Ontario government is making in its future ...”

-Laura Bassett, vice-president of university affairs

yearly increases for undergraduates in regulated programs, such as a bachelor of arts, at three per cent.

Graduate and professional fees in deregulated programs, such as dentistry and law, increased by five per cent.

Laura Bassett, vice-president of university affairs with the Students’ Union, believes students could do more with the money from the 10 per cent increase in tuition they are required to pay over the years they are at university.

“The average tuition rate is about $6,800, so that’s almost $700 that you are overpaying in tuition from the first day that you started at university to the last day that you leave,” she

said.

“20 years ago, the tuitions and fees collected from the universities by students made up about 20 per cent of the operating budget, that number’s now over 50 per cent for Ontario institutions,” said Matt McLean, associate vice-president of university affairs, who later called the balance an “unfair burden for students.”

Rather than calling post-secondary institutions “publically-funded,” the Ontario government has resorted to calling them “publically-assisted.”

According to Bassett, if this trend continues, post-secondary institutions will become a private sector, an unfortunate factor for graduates who are likely to stay in Ontario.

“We recognized that it’s an investment that the Ontario government is making in its future and it’s really repurposing money that is already there,” she said.

The Ontario tuition tax credit is a way for students to reduce their income taxes by taking into account tuition fees paid for different types of education.

However most students do not make enough income to pay taxes and get the credits, forcing them to

SAMANTHA CHOW/GRAPHIC ARTIST

transfer a portion to either a spouse or parent.

Bassett said students only see the benefits of the tax credit when they are out of school and actually make enough income.

“We want it transferred into an upfront system so students actually get that money when they need it the most,” she explained.

To educate students about the campaign, the Students’ Union is asking Laurier students to sign letters addressed to Premier Kathleen Wyn-

ne, the minster of finance Charles Sousa and the current minister of training, colleges and universities, Reza Moridi.

According to McLean, student responses have been overwhelmingly positive thus far. “[The campaign] recognized that although this isn’t a permanent solution, it gives the government a chance to come up with a new framework while students aren’t the ones who are going to bear the burden again.”

PROGRAMMING

SHELBY BLACKLEY/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The culture surrounding Winter Carnival MADDY CUTTS LEAD REPORTER SHELBY BLACKLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Seven days worth of winter activities were drawn to a close as Winter Carnival came to an end last week at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus.

Winter Carnival is an annual event held every year at the beginning of the winter semester, with the intention of providing students with the opportunity to engage in activities outside of the classroom.

“Winter Carnival has been at Laurier since 1960, so it has a long history,” said Leanne Holland Brown, dean of students.

“If you ever Google ‘Laurier Winter Carnival,’ you’ll see images in black and white even of ice sculpture contests and tobogganing and team cross-country ski races, and I think in its creation it was intended to create

an opportunity for students to come together, to build community, to have fun and to represent the spirit of Laurier.”

While the activities all take place outside of a classroom setting, the opportunity for learning to occur in the context of Winter Carnival is not lost on its organizers.

“What makes Laurier students so well rounded in my opinion is that we can balance our school work, but also do extracurriculars and social activities,” said Kaipa Bharucha, vice-president of programming and services for the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union.

Despite its best intentions, the event has been under scrutiny in the past few years over the merit of the programming, with many wondering if Winter Carnival has simply become an excuse for alcohol consumption and general reckless behaviour.

This year’s event comes following a movement made by organizers and

school administration last year to eliminate any insensitive, offensive or vulgar content.

The emphasis on communicating expectations and conduct standards was brought back this year, with Holland Brown having committed to speak with all teams, creating the framework for open communication throughout the week.

“I think we’re talking about the event happening in a very different context right now where culturally there’s a lot more scrutiny on alcohol use, on behaviours that may include hazing, on gendered violence, and given the context in which the event is now happening, there had to be some changes and like anything it’s cultural change and it takes time,” said Holland Brown.

Two Winter Carnival students, who agreed to speak to The Cord on the base of anonymity due to fear of reprisal, had unpleasant experiences with aspects of the week.

One participant came into Winter

Carnival for the first time expecting a lot of outdoor events, fun competitions and some creative aspects.

While she knew drinking was a part of it, and was looking forward to that social aspect, she didn’t expect the extent to which it would take a toll on her, her team and other participants.

“What’s difficult about it is that nobody outright said, ‘this week is about binge drinking and having sex,’ but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t promoted in its own way. It was implicitly said and done,” she said.

Another participant said they were concerned with the connotation of the videos teams were required to make, many of which “had nods at rape and were transmysognistic” in nature.

“I think the whole culture [of Winter Carnival] needs to change,” the participant said. “I don’t mean to be a downer, I understand jokes are jokes, but it’s just so corny to still see men in dresses as the joke of the

century.”

Direct and indirect feedback is welcomed by the coordinators and programmers to improve on next year’s event.

“Our participants are pretty vocal with us on when they think things are going well, when they’d like to see improvements, so it’s great that we can get pretty direct feedback right away throughout the program,” said Bharucha.

Building off this feedback, organizers are confident the event was a success and everything was executed to the best ability of everyone involved.

“I wouldn’t say that anything necessarily went wrong,” said Kelsey Matheson, Winter Carnival coordinator. “I think that you can always plan for things to not go the way that you planned them to, and then you just kind of have to adapt and figure out how you’re going to go from there.”

–With files from Kaitlyn Severin

4 • CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

EXTRACURRICULARS

Gaining skills for the future

ELECTIONS

WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR

The Students’ Union election period will run for the next two weeks with polls opening on February 3 and 4.

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

ALENA GUITS CORD NEWS

According to students at Wilfrid Laurier University, immersing yourself in extracurricular activities could benefit your future career.

Nicole Kuindersma, a recent psychology graduate, has been serving the past few months as the vice- president of clubs and associations of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union. Kuindersma believes her current position is “90 per cent because of her extracurricular involvement” throughout university.

Throughout her university career, Kuindersma was primarily involved in Laurier University Charity Kouncil, working her way up from being a general member in her first year to president in third-year. With her experience, Kuindersma became the clubs communication coordinator of the Students’ Union in her fourth year and was in charge of overseeing the charity clubs on campus.

“If anything happens in the future, [this position has] really given me amazing skills in the workplace like organization, time management and getting feedback [such as] negative and positive criticism which I can use to my advantage [to help] me get better at this job,” she explained.

Not only can extracurriculars help you develop skills that are beneficial in the workplace, but they can also help you with your academics, as Kuindersma clearly saw as she worked her way through university.

Her role as the clubs communication coordinator also helped Kuindersma

build communication skills.

“If I was applying to a psychologybased job, my degree would matter, but if I was going straight into the workplace, [extracurriculars] have a huge impact because I have something more to offer than just a degree.”

Unlike Kuindersma, fourth-year BBA student and current clubs communication coordinator, Emma Ernewein, dabbled in a variety of clubs. From Students Offering Support to Laurier Marketing Association, to working for PRISM to the School of Business and Economics Students’ Society and being an Icebreaker during Orientation Week, Ernewein found it difficult to just stick to one thing throughout her four years.

“I like to get experience with as many things as possible. We have four years here, so why not try as many things as you can?”

Taylor McAlary, a graduate in Laurier’s bachelor of business administration, is currently the trade marketing analyst of cereal at General Mills Canada.

During his time at Laurier, MacAlary was heavily involved in Enactus from which he gained presentation and organization skills. He believes extracurriculars are a great way to connect with others on a more personal level.

“From a personal and professional standpoint — as more and more employers are looking for things beyond just grades when you graduate — I truly feel that I developed from being involved at Laurier.”

Elections set in motion

The Students’ Union elections kicked off on Monday night KAITLYN SEVERIN CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

The 2016 Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union elections was officially set in motion after Monday’s all-candidates meeting.

The presidential candidates, along with those running for the board of directors, Senate and board of governors, were present for the meeting to learn the rules and regulations of the election period held over the next two weeks.

At 11:08 p.m., candidates were allowed to start campaigning around the university and on social media.

Campaigning will continue througout the next two weeks until 30 minutes before polls open on February 3. This year, an overwhelming 20 candidates are running for board of directors for 12 possible positions, an increase from the previous year where nine candidates were acclaimed. Four candidates are currently running for board of governors, with one position still available.

“I mean with three, even if they all get on, it’s going to be a huge change.”

-Bianca Anderson, assistant chief returning officer

“I’m really glad to see the 20 people for board [of directors] just because we’ve never seen a ratio for that position for that much in the past,” said Colin Aitchison, chair of the board of directors and CGO. Bianca Anderson, assistant chief returning officer, believes the large candidate turnout was due in part to the need for change.

“Because there are only three returning candidates for board of directors, I think it’s going to be close to an entirely new board. I mean with three, even if they all get on, it’s going to be a huge change,” said Anderson.

Students will be able to familiarize themselves with two presidential candidates during the election period — Tyler Murdock, a kinesiology student from the Waterloo campus and Tyler Van Herzele, a concurrent education student from the Brantford campus.

“Seeing the student body getting engaged, with so many candidates for board of directors, and all these other positions that haven’t seen this much attention in the past. It’s going to be amazing to get the voter turnout,” said Van Herzele.

“I’ve worked really hard over my university career to kind of get involved in stuff I believe in so now doing something that’s out of my reach in a sense is kind of nervewracking,” said Murdock.

Five female candidates are also running for the board of directors, an increase from one candidate in the previous election.

“I’m disappointed in the lack of turnout for the Senate, but you can’t win them all.”

-Colin Aitchison, chair of the board of directors and CGO

Three acclaimed candidates for Senate were also announced during the meeting — Tarique Plummer, Mynt Marsellus and Matt DeSumma.

“My main goal was to make sure no positions were acclaimed; unfortunately that didn’t end up happening, with the Senate, which is okay. Those are the hardest ones to get candidates out for,” Anderson explained.

“We thought that there was going to be more candidates, just based off of who came out to the info sessions, unfortunately it didn’t pan out that way,” “I’m disappointed in the lack of turnout for the Senate, but you can’t win them all,” said Aitchison.

The main events during the election period will include two open forums, with Brantford’s taking place on January 28 and Waterloo’s running on February 1. Polls willl open on February 3 and 4. *Disclaimer: Mynt Marsellus and Tarique Plummer are members of The Cord.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

AD • 5

6 •

Local

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 LOCAL NEWS EDITOR ERIKA YMANA eymana@thecord.ca

GOOGLE IN WR

Google’s new investment

Space on Breithaupt Street will now house over 350 engineer positions ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTED IMAGES

Google unveiled its 185,000 squarefoot building on January 14. Now home to over 350 engineers, the building works to promote environmentally-friendly and healthy choices such as a bike locker, group fitness space and a rock climbing wall.

Additional and expected “fun” aspects about a Google office were also included such as a meditation room, “Maker’s Lab,” games room and a ping pong table.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the event and was taught how to make a “3D selfie” by junior engineers from Kitchener-Waterloo.

Google’s move isn’t complete as it is currently working on its second and third phases before its total relocation to Breithaupt Street. When everything is settled, Google aims to have 900 employees in the Waterloo Region.

Rod Reiger, executive director of economic development, said the expansion is appropriate as University of Waterloo is one of the top sources of recruitment for Google. In addition, as the technology industry continues to grow in Waterloo, it increases the Region’s competitive advantage.

“This is a very competitive environment in which to write code, do

engineering, to work on cool and important projects. The cost framework is a lot more competitive here,” he said.

This large investment in the Region is also related to the importance of the local ecosystem while being immersed and a part of the start-up community.

As for the expansion’s impact on the downtown core, Reiger mentioned three important aspects relating to its importance: location, global leadership and the quality of development.

He said the most important thing is that the building is currently located at the intersection of the future light rail transit and the multi-modal station. This is imperative as Google recruits talent out of Toronto, where they also have an office located in downtown Toronto making commutes easier.

“They are like our anchor tenant in the mall, like every successful shopping mall is going to have big anchor retailers, and Google’s one of our big anchor tenants. This is the place to be doing the stuff we do.”

As for the City of Kitchener working to be a diversified area and not a single-industry tech city, Reiger said the city is extremely well positioned with the expansion, as it strengthens other industries making the city a competitive place in the global market.

COMMUNITY

Capturing Waterloo Region’s diversity

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR

The City of Waterloo plans to capture the diversity of the Region through a year-long community art project titled, “We Are Waterloo Portrait Project.”

The art project will showcase personally portraits made by citizens in the community at a variety of workshops hosted by the Region throughout the year.

The final showcase of all pieces of art will be displayed at the City of Waterloo Museum in Conestoga Mall in January 2017 to celebrate Canada’s 150 anniversary of Confederation.

Portions of the exhibit will continue to circulate through different facilities.

The official launch date of the project is on January 23 at the John

M. Harper Library and will be lead by portrait artist Heather Franklin.

For the entire project, the organizers plan to collect more than 300 portraits. Designated scanning days are also in place to scan a professional replica of the portrait.

The aim of the project is to not only celebrate diversity, but to also showcase talent in the Region. With this idea, a different artist will be hired for every workshop.

According to Sonya Poweska, cultural program specialist, Waterloo Region is looking to collaborate with both aboriginal centres at Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo.

We Are Waterloo Portrait Project operates on the 10-year culture plan for arts and culture in the Region and focuses on community engagement.

“We operate based on the culture

plan, which is a plan that was initiated by the city in 2013. There are 37 recommendations in it in different areas and the project really supports a number of those areas,” said Poweska.

Poweska added participation in the project can also be beneficial for students as the submission of any portrait included in the show is considered a contribution to a professionally hung and curated exhibit at the museum.

Community art projects are not a new concept for the Region, having implemented a number of projects within the past year. One of the biggest projects with around 300 participants was the Urban Knitting Project, which led to the donation of 600 knitted squares that were sewn together and displayed in various locations in uptown Waterloo.

“We’re hoping that this project allows for people to really celebrate the present while engaging with the past and future of Waterloo ...”

-Sonya Poweska, cultural program specialist

The city also recently finished a project called “2016 Wishes,” which asked community members to write their wishes on art cards. These cards were then displayed in Waterloo City Hall and then at the mayor’s lobby.

Dave Jaworsky, the mayor of Waterloo, said community art projects cultivate a welcoming atmosphere.

“Community art projects foster a

sense of belonging because everyone can participate,” he said in a statement.

Poweska said she hopes residents who live in the Region will recognize and celebrate the diversity and talent in their community.

“We’re hoping that this project allows for people to really celebrate the present while engaging with the past and the future of Waterloo, too,” she said.

She continued to add the community in Waterloo Region today has undergone many changes in the past 150 years.

“We have come a long way with 150 years of Canada and it’s a very different community now than it was 150 years ago. We hope to use this as our marker to really see where our community stands now and where it can go in the future.”

LOCAL • 7

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 BUDGET CUTS

DEVELOPMENT

K-W’s digital vision New strategy aims to create a tech-savvy community ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR

JESSICA DIK/FILE PHOTO

First 38 cuts at Grand River Positions were eliminated due to accommodations to the budget SAFINA HUSEIN STAFF WRITER

This past week, Grand River Hospital announced 38 staff members had received layoff notices and an extra 30 currently vacant positions would not be filled in the future.

The individuals of who received layoff notices consisted of 33 fulltime staff members along with five part-time staff.

This included registered nurses, clerical staff, non-union staff — such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists — as well as a few practical nurses and other staff in the bargaining unit under their union, Unifor.

“We are experiencing cuts to registered nurses across the province.

Hospitals are telling us that it’s simply based on the budget,” said Vicki McKenna, first vice-president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association.

Wage rates at Grand River Hospital account for 75 per cent of the budget, while the rest is used for the cost of medication for patients, other supplies, consumables and food, among others. For the past four years, hospitals across Ontario have been receiving inadequate funding from the government.

“Each year, the expenses for hospitals have grown a per cent more quickly than funding has,” explained Malcolm Maxwell, president and chief executive officer of Grand River Hospital.

In order to avoid running a deficit, the hospital is forced to find a way to change their care and services so they can continue to provide care effectively, while remaining within their budget.

Maxwell said the hospital’s greatest concern was for those individuals whose jobs were cut and would then have to be displaced.

“We have been seeking to understand how to maintain the organizations where the vacancies occur,” he said.

Despite the cuts, Maxwell believes overall quality of patient care at Grand River Hospital will not be affected.

“It’s certainly hard each year as we have to reduce the number of staff. But we’ve tried to do things that will allow us to keep up the level of service by using different strategies,” he explained.

For example, Grand River has made changes to operating room schedules to ensure those needing acute care can receive the attention they need in a quicker and more

“Each year, the expenses for hospitals have grown a per cent more quickly than funding has.”

-Malcolm Maxwell, president and chief executive officer of Grand River Hospital

timely manner.

This would then eliminate the need for bedside nurses to be tending to that patient for hours prior to surgery. Maxwell claimed with these new strategies implemented, care at Grand River is actually improving.

McKenna’s views on the layoffs and cuts differ.

“The research is clear that registered nurses at the bedside with patients improve outcomes. They stay shorter lengths of stay at hospital and they have fewer complications,” she said.

“As an Ontarian and certainly as a practicing nurse, that’s not acceptable.”

She believes the government must fund hospitals appropriately and should account for increases to costs that are often out of the hospital’s control, such as utility costs and drug prices.

“It’s not a good situation for nurses in Ontario at all, nor for patients.”

Bill Gibson, area director for Unifor, also expressed his concern with regards to the hospital’s leadership team when he said “it’s a mismanaged facility.”

He speculated their decisions and funding allocation may be insufficient.

“We feel that the leadership team has failed the community.”

Gibson reiterated patient care will be affected by cutting bedside nurses. It puts a downward pressure on those remaining and increases their workload. According to McKenna, for every patient added to a nurse’s workload, it increases the complication rate by seven per cent.

She believes it will take courage to make the necessary changes.

“It has been four years of zeroes, it’s time to increase budgets to hospitals so they don’t continue to cut registered nurses and cut patient care.”

“It is very disruptive to people, but it is the only way that we can try to sustain the level of service while living with the funding that we have,” Maxwell said.

The City of Kitchener is heading towards a digital future. Kitchener’s newly introduced digital strategy has one aim – to improve lives.

As the technology industry continues to grow in the Waterloo Region, the digital strategy plans to meet the needs of residents with different perspectives.

With a deadline extending through the summer, specific aspects included in the plan are ambiguous.

However with council’s current priorities, Wi-Fi and fiber infrastructure are two areas of focus.

Dan Murray, director of technology innovation and services for the City of Kitchener, said this strategy began in 2015 and is the first of its kind that includes community input.

“Typically, our technology strategies have been inward facing, and this really looks at how technology can affect the community,” he said.

While populous cities such as Montreal, New York and Chicago have fully developed digital strategies, Kitchener is “early” considering its density and the prominent tech industry the city sustains.

“We have a very strong tech industry in Kitchener, that’s an opportu-

“We have to look at things that are happening in the community and try to address them as best as we can in the strategy.”

-Dan Murray, director of technology innovation and services for the City of Kitchener

nity area for us to leverage. There are also people who don’t have internet access so we can make it easier for them,” said Murray.

“We have to look at things that are happening in the community and try to address them as best as we can in the strategy.”

A Digital Kitchener Forum on January 14 was hosted to discuss progressive ideas with KitchenerWaterloo’s tech giants such as Google, Communitech and Miovision, amongst others.

The forum was attended by a variety of community members who had differing concerns that did not relate to the tech industry.

The event included being dispersed in groups to discuss the ideas being proposed.

“We wanted that cross section, we

wanted people who could understand how tech could impact the lives of the citizens. So it wasn’t just a tech event by any means, but the idea of having these leaders in the industry was to just unwind and talk,” said Murray.

As the digital strategy is only part of the large-scale strategic plan, the city’s goal is to have a number of recommended actions to deliver on their project goals.

Whatever direction the strategy takes in a few months is dependent on the needs of the city. “[Our project goals] is really about creating a tech-savvy community — whatever that ends up looking like — we want to have clear actions in this five-year strategy,” he said.

Murray also added that him, along with his team, have spoken to a number of “advisory councils” and stakeholders and have reached out to both universities as well.

“So 2015 has been about gathering the information. We’re just at the point where we’re starting to build themes from what we’ve heard,” he said.

Although the digital strategy will need a few months to develop, the city hopes with its implementation, the city will continue to be a “digitally evolved tech savvy community.”

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8 •

FEATU

FEATURES EDITOR/BETHANY BOWLES/BBOWLES@THECORD.CA

Features Editor Bethany Bowles restaurant specials you should kn GRAPHICS BY LENA YANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THUR

ETHEL’S

THE PUB ON KING

CHAINSAW

MORTY’S

MORTY’S

ETHEL’S

SHOELESS JOE’S

CHAINSAW

FAMOSO

MORTY’S

CRABBY JOE’S

SHOELESS JOE’S

SYMPOSIUM

FAMOSO

$5 sleeves of beer

BOBBY O’BRIEN’S

FAILTE

$5 burgers and $5 domestic draft

Half price burgers

$5 for any pint

SHOELESS JOE’S

CHAINSAW

FAILTE

MOLLY BLOOM’S

MEL’S DINER

SHOELESS JOE’S

MOLLY BLOOM’S

WILF’S

BOBBY O’BRIEN’S

CRABBY JOE’S

WHITE RABBIT

MCCABE’S

MEL’S DINER

TACO FARM

FRAT BURGER

MCCABE’S

WILF’S

8 oz. burger for $3.99 with drink purchase

$6.99 for a lb. of wings with a drink purchase

$5 margherita pizzas

25 per cent off food with a student card

$4 burgers

$4.99 for a lb. of wings with drink purchase after 7 p.m.

$5.99 for a lb. of wings with drink purchase after 4 p.m.

One pint of Mill Street Organic, an original burger and a side of fries for $9.99

DUKE OF WELLINGTON $5 burgers

FAILTE

$3 bar rail and $5 appetizers

MOLLY BLOOM’S $4.25 burgers

$14.50 for a domestic pitcher

Four beef tacos for $2

$6.99 pulled pork special

$2 burgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken wings, beer and shots

$8.99 for a serving of wings

49 cent wings

Two can dine for $29.99 after 5 p.m.

Half price build a burger

$2 burgers and $6.64 for a lb. of wings

$8.99 burger night

Half price fajitas

$4 burgers and $4 domestic pints

$12 domestic pitchers

$6.99 for a lb. of wings with a

$10 pitchers until 11 p.m.

$8.99 for a domestic mini pit

$3.50 Stella bottles

75 cent wings with the purch

$19.99 all you can eat mussels

$19.99 all you can eat tacos

Select meal of the week for $6.99

FAILTE

Half price wings

MOLLY BLOOM’S Half price wings

WILF’S

All you can eat perogies for $10

WHITE RABBIT $12 Ramen

WILF’S

Buy one get one half price appetizers

STAFF CHOICE: WILF’S

STAFF CHOICE: CHAINSAW

STAFF CHOICE: CRABBY JOE’S

STAFF CHOICE: M

As a lover of pretty much the entire menu of appetizers at Wilf’s, it’s an added bonus to get more for less. More flavour for less money is a fantastic motto to live by and I’m sure all students feel the same way. I cannot sit down at Wilf’s without eating either mac and cheese wedges or spin dip, or both at the same time. While there are many other places around town with great appetizers, it’s super convenient to grab a bite right on campus and satisfy your daily craving for all things Wilf’s for half the price.

–Andreas Patsiaouros, Photo Editor

As a burger connoisseur I’ve tried so many different kinds of burgers that I’ve lost track. But when you’ve had a bit to drink and want to make sure you have something in your stomach, Chainsaw’s $2 burgers can’t be beat. The recipe is simple with minimal toppings, but it does the trick every single time and you can’t beat the price for the kind of burger it is.

That being said, if you don’t frequently go to Chainsaw, this would be a good reason to finally see what you’re missing.

–Drew Yates, Sports Editor

For me, Crabby Joe’s is the easy pick any day of the week because of their half price appetizers after 9 p.m. But their fajitas are a good alternative to burger-heavy specials in Waterloo for a cheap price. Crabby Joe’s keeps it traditional with their fajitas but do so in a hearty portion that adds a bit of variety to their pub food apps. If halfway through the week you’re sick of cooking but want something not so bad for you, check out these fajitas.

–Shelby Blackley, Editor-in-Chief

We are lucky in Waterloo b to the greatest chicken win wings don’t look natural a actually eating turkey wing absurd amount of food for Thursday night you get the can find anywhere. If you h out, take the time this Thu disappointed.

–Mynt Marsellus, Multime

URES

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 • 9

s compiled a list of all the weekly now about in Kitchener-Waterloo

RSDAY

a drink purchase

tcher and $3.99 mixed drinks

SUNDAY

THE PUB ON KING

SYMPOSIUM

THE PUB ON KING

CRABBY JOE’S

MOLLY BLOOM’S

ETHEL’S

WILF’S

BOBBY O’BRIEN’S

MORTY’S

WILF’S

ABE ERB

6 oz. wine for 4 oz. price

$5 martinis

S

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

Fish and chips for $13.99

Domestic draft pitchers for $13.95

$3 Jagermeister shots and $4 Jager bombs

10 oz. NY Strip loin for $14

15 per cent off poutine at Wilf’s

S

Any pint for $5

12” pizza for $7.99

$6.99 burger special

20 per cent off all food with a post-secondary student card

SYMPOSIUM

Two for the price of one cake slices

BOBBY O’BRIEN’S

hase of a drink

10 oz. NY Strip loin for $14

DUKE OF WELLINGTON $5 appetizers after 6 p.m.

FAILTE

$3 caesars and $3 Jagermeister shots

MOLLY BLOOM’S Full breakfast for $4 all day

WILF’S

Half price hungry hawk until 4 p.m.

ORTY’S

because we have access ngs in the world. Morty’s and I often suspect I’m gs because there is an r only six wings. And e best deal on wings you haven’t checked Morty’s ursday, as you won’t be

edia Director

STAFF CHOICE: THE PUB ON KING

STAFF CHOICE: BOBBY O’BRIEN’S

STAFF CHOICE: MORTY’S

As a typical wine-o, I take advantage of any deal on wine I can get in the city. Drinking wine with food is much lighter than drinking beer, so for that reason I generally gravitate towards wine with a meal over any other drink. The Pub on King’s wine deal on Fridays allows wine drinkers like me to enjoy a larger glass of wine for the fraction of the price.

Also, as a new venue, The Pub on King is definitely a spot that you should check out in Waterloo.

–Bethany Bowles, Features Editor

Saturday is littered with several drink specials offered by restaurants across the Kitchener-Waterloo region, but Bobby O’Brien’s stands out as offering something more substantial food-wise. With their 10 oz. New York Striploin for the Saturday-only price of $14, goers of the Kitchener pub, which showcases a volleyball court off King Street in the summer for its patrons, is an excellent deal for meat-eaters alike. Whether in the summer sitting on their patio or in the heart of winter inside, this is a great deal that can double as a great date night.

–Bryan Stephens, President and Publisher

Declared as the best burger in Waterloo by The Cord last year, Morty’s only sweetens the deal with their Sunday burger special. For the same price as a generic fast-food combo, you can enjoy a sizeable, juicy burger with a decent portion of fries. But this isn’t just your ordinary burger. Morty’s has their meat game on point and an expansive selection of toppings. This burger transcends all space and time — the perfect end to a weekend.

–Zach Guitor, Arts & Life Editor

10 •

Arts & Life

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ZACH GUITOR zguitor@thecord.ca

CONCERT

X AMBASSADORS AT THE TURRET

WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR

SHELBY BLACKLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

There’s something odd about a Sunday night concert at Wilfrid Laurier University.

You’re not typically immersed in the live music scene on a night before a busy workweek. Even for me, a graduate of Laurier, I wanted to spend my night at home curled in bed watching Law & Order after a stressful weekend.

But when I found out X Ambassadors would grace the Laurier crowd Sunday night at Turret Nightclub as a pit stop on their North American

tour with Muse, I couldn’t resist.

So over to the Turret I went around 9 p.m. The Walkervilles, a neo-soul band from Windsor, Ontario, was set to open for X Ambassadors.

While not a well-known band by any means — I had never heard any of their material — The Walkervilles provided a soothing introduction to the party the audience was due to experience. Their repetitive lyrics made it easy for listeners to sing along without much of a struggle.

And even if their audience was solely there for X Ambassadors — an obvious case, even to the openers — The Walkervilles appreciated being the entrance to an iconic group making waves in the music industry At 10:35 p.m., the fun began. X Ambassadors introduced themselves to the crowd with the tune “Loveless”

from their 2015 full-length album VHS. Despite transitioning from the likes of the Air Canada Centre to Turret, the small venue’s intimate stage seemed like home to the alternative indie-rock band.

Front man Sam Harris constantly engaged with the student-oriented crowd, spending more time on the metal barricade than the actual stage. He often jumped up on the edge of the barricade, holding his hand out for fans. For almost the entirety of the song “Unsteady,” Harris gave onus to the audience to sing the lyrics of the ballad into his microphone. He finished the song by stopping and taking a moment to say nothing more than, “Wow.” X Ambassadors’ connection to the crowd was amazing. Sam Harris didn’t stop smiling through the

entirety of the set and found infinite ways to engage with the audience, including forcing them to put their “whole five fingers up” during their rendition of “Hang On.” Keyboardist Casey Harris, despite being blind since birth, was a catalyst in many of the audience’s cues to clap or sing along when songs hit their peak. Casey Harris’ connection to the music was evident by the way his soul was exposed for every moment of the set.

Unfortunately, it was hard to gauge the engagement from the audience. To mainstream music listeners, X Ambassadors is known for their hits, “Renegades” and “Jungle,” and this was obvious when they began to dive into their material from their early EPs. Songs such as “Love Songs Drug Songs,” which was

the best performance of the night with a saxophone number from front man Harris, was a piece the audience was not familiar with, making it difficult for the them to engage like a traditional concert.

To a long-time fan, this was the let down of the concert. An engaged audience is half the battle for a good concert.

While the Laurier audience obviously enjoyed their time, it was evident many were fans of the current X Ambassador’s sound.

But every band has their mainstream audience and their longtime fans. X Ambassadors didn’t discriminate in their set and left an impression that, despite being a constant opener for big-time names, XA will soon find their places as the headliner.

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THEMUSEUM hosts comic convention VICTORIA BERNDT STAFF WRITER

From January 16 to 17, the region held its fourth KW Tri-Con at THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener.

The convention featured a pleasant array of magic shows, panels for gaming, do it yourself tips and tricks, anime and comics, as well as a comfortable selection of designers, visual artists and vendors of other novelty items.

All in attendance enjoyed the niche market opportunities that TriCon offered.

A wide range of participants from 10 to 50-years old came from all over the area to enjoy the casual, lesscongested atmosphere and to learn more about the geek/nerd community and to share in the excitement of their hobbies.

THEMUSEUM offered a unique venue for such a convention, and many con-goers interacted with the permanent exhibits and toys in the building.

“I think it is because I love being in THEMUSEUM, I think it’s a great venue for a convention because there’s so much stuff to play with,” said a local high school student.

“There’s plenty to do,” said Niq van der AaI, a Canadian cosplayer known as Detailed Illusion.

“I saw people sitting down on a bed of nails … There’s a lot around so even if it is a smaller convention by convention standards there’s a lot to do here and I think that makes it really different.”

KW Tri-Con’s location mixed with its smaller attendance makes it the perfect convention to experience the community many may lose sight of when attending bigger conventions such as Anime North, the largest fanrun convention in Ontario.

“At Anime North everyone’s in

a rush,” said another participant.

“They don’t bother stopping you and then here people will just walk by and [say] ‘oh that’s really cool! You look really good!’ and it’s really nice.”

Costumes make up an important part of the anime, gaming and comics community. Known as cosplay, it is a form of dressing up as a char-

“There’s a lot around so if it is a smaller convention by convention standards there’s a lot to do here.”

-Niq van der AaI, Canadian cosplayer

acter from a TV show, movie, video came or comic.

Cosplays are distinguished from regular costumes for their complexity and attention to detail. Many cosplays are handmade and may include prosthetics, body paint or armour to achieve the character’s look. As one cosplayer put it: “Halloween has always been my favourite holiday and if I can dress up more than once a year … perfect.”

KW Tri Con was a pleasant first for many, whether they be vendors or attendees.

The unique atmosphere and variety of things to do both within THEMUSEUM and the activities planned around it made for an enjoyable glimpse of the passionate community behind it.

“Everyone here is fantastic. We have such a great group of people and such a safe space for anyone and it’s so accepting,” said an attendee.

“We all have something in common so it brings everyone together.”

ARTS & LIFE • 11

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 GAMING

Playing for the kids

Kult of Gaming’s 72-hour gaming marathon raises $300 MANJOT BHULLAR STAFF WRITER

You may think it’s weird, you may think it’s a waste of time, but to many students across campus, Pathfinder and other role-playing games, also known as RPGs, have peaked their interest since childhood.

To the extent that they can spend 72 hours straight playing in the Concourse to raise money for charity.

You may spend your time watching sports or reading, but these individuals have invested much of their teenage years in the storylines of these elaborate games.

2016 is dubbed “the year of realizing stuff” — at least according to Kylie Jenner.

So, as someone who doesn’t understand the interest some students have about gaming, I sat down with Wilfrid Laurier University club Kult of Gaming’s head coordinator, John Norry.

I wanted to know what kept him hooked on this game, what made him so committed to it that he would be willing to devote an entire weekend to playing it with others in the club along with anyone walking past the Concourse who’d like to drop in for a quick game.

I wanted to debunk the myths and perceptions surrounding the gaming community.

During their 72-hour Pathfinder marathon, students from Kult of Gaming raised more than $300 for Child’s Play, a charity founded in 2003 that raises money to provide video game consoles for children in hospitals across the world.

Norry believes very strongly in the cause as “spending time as a kid in the hospital is just awful, especially if you’re there for weeks or sometimes even months.”

Perhaps this is why he only got

about 10 hours of sleep over the course of the entire fundraiser.

Going on to explain the premise of the game, Norry defined it as combat-based with many different characters to choose from within “The Bestiary,” a textbook containing further details and character traits.

The game can be played in a group setting with many different scenarios acted out in the same world.

There are about four other textbooks containing the rules, character details and story premises for the game, so it’s easy to understand how Pathfinder has kept Norry’s interest in the game for over six years.

“It’s a very cathartic experience getting to play the role of a hero ...”

-John Norry, head coordinator for Kult of Gaming

Norry believes the reason why gaming even exists and why many at Laurier have become increasingly interested is because “there’s so much variety, and it can be a very social thing.” “[With] typical games, the problem is very obvious, so with [Pathfinder] you can be surprised due to the complexity of the game,” Norry said.

Many of KoG’s members are avid Pathfinder players and have been playing for as long as 13 years.

Comparatively with other social cohorts, the gaming community at Laurier seems fairly small, but they do exist and are very passionate.

“Over the past few years there’s

THIS STORY HAS A VIDEO.

definitely been a growing interest,” said Norry.

Stigmas surrounding the world of RPGs are loosening and gathering interest from a wider audience.

Perhaps that’s why RPGs and online gaming have been recently spotlighted in pop culture with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel running a controversial skit ridiculing e-sports and the rise of YouTubers such as PewDiePie and VanossGaming.

As outsiders, we may look at the gaming community simply as outspoken, angry video game players shouting at their TVs, however there are many subcultures within.

E-sports viewers watch other gamers play video games similar to how people go to a sports game or watch sports on their TV. This may be difficult to wrap our heads around, but as Norry said, “it’s very nice if you enjoy playing games, but you don’t have the time to play it yourself, as you can see the story unfold in the game while still having time to [do other things].”

Turns out, all it really takes is one conversation to understand someone’s point of view and why they choose their hobbies.

Before this, gaming was hard for me to understand, as it seemed very childish. But Norry brought a key point to light.

“It’s a very cathartic experience getting to play the role of a hero; similar to how people like to read books about Conan The Barbarian,” he said.

More than simply reading about a heroic tale, gamers get to experience it first hand and spend hours to achieve the successes as the hero.

Unlike novels, where an ending has already been written and is usually auspicious, in gaming it’s something that’s still uncertain and one you have to fight for — to earn.

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12 •

Editorial

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca

‘Freezing’ tuition costs would enhance academic access Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance in partnership with the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union and other universities have been working on a fully-funded tuition freeze for students — essentially giving the money we owe to universities a time out.

This is a step in the right direction for all students struggling to independently survive against the pull of surrounding financial vacuums.

Currently, there is a preconceived notion that students can pay for their education by working hard during the “summer” — a four-month time-frame some argue would allow students to just make enough to pay for tuition.

But extraneous costs outside of tuition include textbooks, rent, transit and food — not to mention numerous other money-sucking necessities to be a basic human.

Because prices for those essentials are continuously bouncing, a set tuition cost would allow students to gain a better understanding of what financials need to be considered on a wider scale.

It would allow students to be less in the dark about what needs to be paid and eliminate the stress of continuously hanging by a thread.

In the early 90s, the Ontario government relinquished control over regulated tuition, which meant universities were free to raise them according to outlooks on the competitive market.

This resulted in fluctuating tuition costs rising higher than inflation and oftentimes making up for budgets of universities.

Deregulated tuition gave schools the freedom to charge outrageous prices, with the justification of it “all being worth it.”

But is it really?

We’ve received a letter to the editor from Laura Bassett, vice-president of university affairs and we’ve experienced these misconceptions and disappointments ourselves.

We struggle as students to find our ground when all we need is a little help to pay for our education — something we need to succeed with a brighter future.

Students have trouble focusing on academics and what will aid their education when worrying about their constantly growing debt or the tuition payment looming over their heads.

Anxieties like these are problematic to the student body in a multitude of ways, and it’s important that this advocacy for a tuition freeze is not disregarded.

It must also be said that it is commendable of the Students’ Union to advocate with OUSA and other university students’ unions for this important cause.

It’s refreshing to see they are taking a stance on an important provincial issue and understanding what needs to be done.

By the time a Laurier student is in fourth year, their tuition is approximately 10 per cent more expensive than it was in their first year.

Sure, money is necessary for the university to run, but raising tuition and making students suffer isn’t the way to higher education. Profit should not be the only objective.

Student engagement is critical for election results With the student elections around the corner, it is important students understand the importance of campus engagement and the accountability of their vote.

All voters should gain a prior understanding of the representatives running and what they plan on bringing to the table. It is equally important to understand the responsibilities of each position. So allow us to break them up.

The president and chief executive officer play a crucial role in student advocacy and oversee major policies throughout the Students’ Union, ultimately becoming the face of the student body and bringing forward ideas to better student life. The board of directors determine the big

financial decisions for the Union, monitoring how money is spent and governance. Senate is the academic governing body of Wilfrid Laurier University and is directly responsible for education-like decisions, such as the fall reading week. Finally, the board of governors is responsible for the financial property decisions of the university, like bringing in those statues you all love to argue about.

Students should be willing to talk to candidates and critically analyze what they are advocating for and they will do to maximize the student experience. These people are more than names on a ballot, so make sure you get to know them before you check a box.

Your box counts.

These unsigned editorials are based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-inChief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources.

The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Bryan Stephens VICE-CHAIR Abdiasis Issa DIRECTOR Rafey Sattar DIRECTOR John Pehar

DIRECTOR Tom Lillo

DIRECTOR Angela Foster DIRECTOR Fred Kuntz DIRECTOR Gary Doyle

PRESIDENT Bryan Stephens president@wlusp. com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer@ wlusp.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@ wlusp.com HR MANAGER/ CORPORATE SECRETARY Emily Crump hr@wlusp.com

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Systems of addiction ZACH GUITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

We’re all addicts.

Some more evidently and some more severely, but it is hard to deny there isn’t something — a habit or a vice — that prevents us from living out our desires.

Addiction is a condition defined as a pleasurable act, from ingesting a substance to participating in an activity, that begins to “interfere with ordinary life responsibilities.”

Substance abuse affects our social lives to varying degrees.

The smell of tobacco may put off some, while slurred speech and a staggering step will categorize someone as a drunk, doper or druggie.

But within these clear and drawn addictions are smaller, nearly invisible habits that lack the evident social ramifications of others, while still affecting our ability to live.

In fact, these invisible addictions are present within even the most innocent and straight-edged individual.

Take pornography for example.

It is drilled into our heads from an early age — particularly in adolescent males — that both pornography and masturbation are nearly essential activities for growth, exploration and sexual education.

The issue arises when these actions are normalized to the extent people become extreme, debilitating practitioners, without facing the social ramifications of more visible

addictions.

Even the most casual of pornography users fail to realize their dependence on the medium; it is only when they break their systematic schedule that their addiction is revealed.

If you don’t believe it, and you are a daily or bi-daily porn user, try not watching porn.

You may think it will be easy, because hey, you’ve never “craved” porn, but after just a few days you will likely be aching to see just one picture.

Ignorance to our own addictions is simply due to normalization.

When cravings are systematically satisfied, they really don’t feel like cravings at all. They become routine.

But really, what’s so bad about porn?

Well for starters, it risks distorting our view of sexual expectations, and for some, affects the ability to seek out a significant other.

Many lack the drive to have a relationship because their sexual desires are satisfied by pornography, while social desires are separately satisfied by friendship. That’s not to say that porn is evil.

The reason we fall into these debilitating routines is because as humans, we are wired to follow systems.

It eases our minds to know exactly when and how we will seek pleasure.

Even the most innocent drink can be seen as addiction.

Every time you watch the game or movie, you may crack a beer or mix up a cocktail.

But often, the ramifications of a simple drink are overlooked.

Upon returning from the game, lowered inhibitions relinquishes

guilt to fulfill important responsibilities.

The difference between a blood alcohol content of 0 and 0.2 may be the difference between completing an assignment, replying to an important email or even eating a healthy meal.

Alcohol, certainly at this point of our lives, is deemed innocent in measly quantities, even though it has the capacity to waver the path to achievements.

I’m not saying stop drinking altogether or to even change your drinking habits at all.

But it’s important to be cognizant of the mechanics of our lives, and how they affect our ability to have desired outcomes.

All inputs and outputs ought to be analyzed and dissected, no matter their normalization in our public sphere.

Even poor scheduling, skipping class or bad grades are rooted in addiction, albeit not entirely.

Procrastination isn’t simply an unshakeable habit, but rather supported by our indelible addiction for stimuli and entertainment.

“The Netflix effect,” as I put it, impedes anyone from eating a basic meal without Grey’s Anatomy playing in the background.

Our addiction to entertainment often supersedes our obligations, thus affecting our ordinary life responsibilities.

The issue is, some people could ingest all the alcohol, porn or entertainment they want while still following an unflinching path to achievement.

It’s a shitty reality, but with varying degrees of efficacy across the board, some can’t afford to be as addicted as others.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

Opinion

• 13 OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca

Breaking the cold winter ice Winter Carnival creates a warm atmosphere that stands for more than drinking and partying

the lip sync event … there were a bunch of us that didn’t know each other and we all ended up working together to come up with our video.

Those people I met are still in my life as roommates and really good friends.”

“When I first joined I was actually surprised. There was just a really strong vibe, it was overwhelmingly positive and welcoming,” Matheson said to me.

For many, Orientation Week will be the first and last time students participate in a school organized

social event. The inherent uncomfortability that comes with being in a new situation, paired with forced interactions, creates negative associations between students and school events. Consequentally, many people feel they need to step off of campus in order to have fun.

Winter Carnival provides the natural warmth needed in order to properly break the ice. That’s why Matheson and Bharucha stressed the importance of recruiting.

“We want to get people to understand what Winter Carnival really is.

We want to show people that welcoming environment as well as seeing the school in a new light. It ties people in and makes them excited to come back.”

That exact thing happened with Panacea — the team that won this year’s Winter Carnival. Talking to Sean Fox, the team captain, he was honest in saying, “I didn’t think we were going to win this year. I knew the tendencies of people on my team and I thought we had no chance.”

“But then people started showing up to the events and there was a little buzz when people started thinking, ‘Hey, we can really win this thing!’”

You can dock that to the infectious energy created when a group of individuals commit to a team. That’s why students want to join and that’s why members want to become volunteers, captains and coordinators.

As the name might suggest, Winter Carnival isn’t about rigid guidelines and business network opportunities.

Bharucha used the term “experiential learning” to describe how

students can benefit.

The negative public perception towards Winter Carnival is the result of anxiety toward the power of peer pressure. Hazing being one of them.

Fox made sure to let his team know if they felt uncomfortable doing something that they don’t have to do it. Bharucha and Matheson made sure to talk to all participants about the harmful effects of hazing.

When discussing accusations of Winter Carnival being an academic distraction Bharucha noted the lack of credit to the majority of students that do manage to successfully balance the events with other obligations.

To me, Winter Carnival seems like a wonderful symbol of what we can learn from the university experience and Canadian winter.

I thought one of the most valuable lessons imparted from one’s undergrad years is embracing and affirming your individuality within this large and dynamic social setting.

Isn’t a big takeaway from school learning the importance of time management?

Instead of keeping company with a blanket and a Netflix account, Winter Carnival gets students out of the house and gets them together.

First held in 1960, the event has become a tradition at Wilfrid Laurier University. A tradition that’s defined by overcoming the cold.

It’s a cold world out there and we stick together to stay warm. That’s cheesy, but also really nice. Let’s not lose sight of these moments over a couple of beers.

The use of tests does not comprehensively test the mastery of knowledge. Its use is widely employed all across the globe merely because it is a simple, quantitative method of analysis to obtain results which can be quantified.

Don’t get me wrong, there are benefits to using tests like students being able to see their progress, teachers being able to spot teaching technique weaknesses and the government being able to analyze the results and areas lacking.

But let’s now see the complete picture. What about those students who are not good at testing? What about those students who do well throughout the course and just had a bad exam day? What about those

students who battle with anxiety and stress because their entire academic future might be dependent on one mark?

Are these not points to encourage talks of re-evaluation on standardized testing?

Here is some interesting food for thought. Students in Finland are some of the top performers on international tests.

Standardized testing is not implemented in that country. It is safe to say they are going against the grain and are reaping great results.

According to the website, Lessons from Abroad, “Assessments are used as a tool for professional development and to help teachers gauge student growth, never for account-

ability.” In the rest of the world, it’s the reverse.

I am growing more and more to believe there is such rampant lethargy in our educational system that calling for a qualitative assessment approach is like asking your dog to speak English.

We are encouraged to fix things when they are broken, but how long do we have to wait before the guys in suits are able to see that a genuine repair is required?

For now, we are condemned to exams telling us whether we are smart or dumb, whether we pass a course or fail or whether we will make it in life or not.

Until the great revelation comes, let’s wait with baited breath.

ALEX DULANOVIC OPINION COLUMNIST

December 22 is the darkest day of the year and it’s around this time we’re forced to come to terms with the harsh realities of winter in Canada. Going outside isn’t simply opening the door, it’s finding your hat, scarf, gloves and changing your soggy socks after you stepped in that damn puddle of water from your winter boots. As Canadians, how do we respond to our environment? We get together.

And what do we do when we meet during the holiday season? We share stories, we laugh, we play games and we drink. Sometimes there will be arguments and maybe an aunt will have a little too much wine, but that never dissuades us from scraping our car windows, applying winter tires and making the effort to meet up with friends and family. We know it’s important.

My impression of Winter Carnival before this year was inaccurately reductive. I’ve never participated and I formed my opinion from a couple of negative experiences. I concluded it’s just a week where people get wasted everyday.

Yet, when I thought about it, that didn’t make much sense. If your goal is to drink every night of the week, why join an event that requires you

SHELBY BLACKLEY/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

to be active everyday?

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not have to choreograph a dance or whip dodge balls at people when I’m hungover.

I spoke to Kaipa Bharucha, vice-president of programming and services with the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union and Kelsey Matheson, the Winter Carnival coordinator, in order to understand the ethos of the week long event.

Bharucha reflected on Winter Carnival in 2011, participating as a firstyear student. “I’ll always remember

Standardized testing flaws TARIQUE PLUMMER OPINION COLUMNIST

Last semester went by so fast that it almost caught me off guard.

There were highs, lows, surprises and a few significant revelations. I am compelled to discuss the most noteworthy of my fall semester. I took a certain chemistry course which had a lab component. Initially, it was not too difficult. It required literally the same amount of effort as typical 200-level chemistry course.

In addition to the lab component, it had midterms, assignments and participation marks.

I worked hard in that course and, as we usually do as students, I ranked the courses in terms of risk, whether high or low. I confidently ranked the course in my mind as a low risk so I expected a fair grade in the course.

I did well on the midterms, assignments, participation exercises and the lab reports. Naturally I expected an A, wouldn’t you? The final exam was worth 45 per cent. That did not phase me, though. I ripped through the content in preparation for the exam and went in aiming for an A in the course.

I was slapped across the face by

reality.

While writing the exam, realizing my extreme lack of preparation, I resorted to calculating what I would need to simply pass. I entered the dreadful exam expecting a beautiful A, but left praying for a D- just to pass the course.

Time and time again we question what education actually is.

A strong argument can be raised that route memorization, regurgitation and the application of published logic does not always constitute as “learning.” The article published in The Cord, ‘Is scholarly credibility holding us back?’ by Mitchell Consky argued that education can lead to unnecessary dependency of other minds.

My issue of contention at this moment is not with what society calls education or learning, even though I do believe the societal definitions are heavily skewed and misunderstood.

I believe there is something wrong with the yardstick we use to measure a student’s academic performance.

There is something fundamentally wrong with using standardized tests/ evaluations to draw a conclusion about the knowledge of a student on a certain subject.

Generally speaking, a large portion of the world employs the use of tests as their primary indicator of educational triumph. Examples include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean.

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

14 • OPINION

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

JESSICA DIK/FILE PHOTO

KAMIL AHMED/FILE PHOTO

The statue project involves erecting 22 statues — one of each prime minister in Canadian history. According to several groups of students, these statues offend the aboriginal community.

Thoughts on presenting to the Special Advisory Committee for statues project SPENCER GIBARA OPINION COLUMNIST

Last week, I was given the opportunity to present to the Wilfrid Laurier University Special Advisory Committee regarding how this university, if at all, will move forward with the statue project that involves erecting 22 statues, one of each prime minister.

There have been numerous discussions about this project between Senate and the board of governors, but this was an opportunity for those less involved in the inner workings of the university to come and present their opinions.

To give some background, over the course of seven months, a petition to cancel this project has garnered around 1,300 signatures, while my counter-petition, in half the time, garnered over 900.

Looking at the speakers list at this committee, and seeing who sat in the audience, showed me exactly what I was in for.

Out of the nine speakers, I was the only one who defended the project and the only one who offered any

Out of the nine speakers, I was the only one who defended the project and the only one who offered any critical questions ...

critical questions to any of the speakers.

Most alarmingly, the strong majority of the people there were Laurier faculty members, showing that opposition to this project isn’t really stemming from students, but instead from staff.

Looking back at this committee, I genuinely wish I had filmed it in its entirety, because what I heard coming from the opposition to this project was depressing.

I want to detail in these words the oppositions “highlights,” or as I would call them, “bloopers.”

Apart from some of our professors’ grunting, growling and jeering when I spoke, which I found incredibly unprofessional, the arguments being made were much worse.

One of the main arguments put forward is that aboriginal students

will see statues of past prime minsters, which would result in microaggressions, causing students to be stressed and even stop going to class.

That’s right. $4,000 of tuition down the drain because apparently these statues would be that horrific.

When I confronted these claims by stating the obvious — that our school is named after a racist prime minister and we’ve had a statue of him for a few years now — my argument was side-stepped repeatedly. But that’s not even the worst of it.

We had one speaker who actually made the argument these statues will lead to an “increased rate of sexual assaults on campus.”

I’m not making this up.

Apparently, these statues will cause Laurier students to think so negatively about aboriginal students that sexual assault against them would become commonplace.

Of course, no statistics were shown to back this up, but the fact that Laurier staff still applauded speaks volumes.

But two of the most telling moments came from when I presented to the committee.

After I spoke, I was asked a multitude of questions, and they ranged from silly to flat-out revolting.

A student from the Brantford campus conferenced in to ask me, “Why do you care about colonialism

... If these statues were erected in a year’s time, no one would be offended anymore.

if it doesn’t involve ‘your people?’”

He actually asked this.

The fact that we have members of the Laurier community who think along the lines of “your people” and “my people” demonstrates the terrible repercussions stemming from identity politics.

However, something else happened which I think is important for every Laurier student to know.

Our Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union president, Olivia Matthews, stood up after my presentation and listed four things I argued which were apparently “not true” or “misleading.”

She then asked a question, without letting me respond to her earlier criticisms. But compare that to what happened next.

A student from Brantford presented against these statues and

T ri - Ci ti e s ’ l a rg e s t s e l e c ti o n o f c o n c e n tra te p ro d u c ts !

We h a v e a g re a t s e l e c ti o n o f p re m i u m E - c i g p ro d u c ts !

Matthews stood up, not to criticize anything, but to ask the softest of softball questions: “How do you think we should move forward?”

I almost fell off my chair.

The Students’ Union made it clear it was not to take a side in this debate, however, our Students’ Union president made it clear as day which side she’s on.

She chose to side with the faculty, and the handful of offended students, as opposed to the mountain of supporters that come from the student body itself.

I was a member of the board of directors at the Students’ Union last year, and there is no group of people more committed to representing the students.

It was just troubling to see the person who should be standing up for us buckling under the pressure of a few.

As of writing this, I don’t know what will become of the project, and I’m not entirely sure when a decision will be made.

If I had one last message to the committee, it would be that despite those who are making a fuss today, if these statues were erected in a year’s time, no one would be offended anymore.

It would blow over and Laurier students would get to enjoy a kickass portrayal of our history.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

Sports

• 15 SPORTS EDITOR DREW YATES dyates@thecord.ca

MEN’S HOCKEY

JESSICA DIK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

The Hawks picked up two points against the Nipissing Lakers and Laurentian Voyageurs last weekend, putting them in seventh place in the OUA West.

Goaltenders still a juggling act DANIEL JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s hockey team capped off a double header weekend with a 1-1 record after a 3-4 loss to the Laurentian Voyageurs and a 3-1 win over the Nipissing Lakers. Both games were competitive and came down to essential pushes —Laurier learned from January 16’s previous shortcomings against Laurentian to manufacture a win the next night.

This brought the team’s overall regular season record to 9-11.

A 10 minute four-goal bombardment by Laurentian resulted in a goaltenders switch. Colin Furlong allowed an uncharacteristic four goals and was replaced by Vinny Merante, who made 17 saves in Furlong’s relief. Merante started against

Nipissing on January 17 and made 36 saves.

Regardless of Furlong’s performance, the game got out of hand and something needed to be changed for any hope of resurgence. After the game against Nipissing, head coach Greg Puhalski said he had planned on the netminders splitting the time over the weekend, but felt that change was needed by bringing in Merante. “[We] felt we needed a little bit of a spark. We were a little flat. It’s not that [Furlong] played poor. Just the type of game it was,” Puhalski explained.

“Vinny came in and I thought he played well yesterday and he had a good game today.”

Puhalski said Merante has had his chances to be the Hawks’ starter but yielded mixed results — if Merante

plays well all the time, it will give him a chance to play more. Hawk captain Greg Cerilli made his presence felt throughout both games, scoring two goals against the Voyageurs and adding another against the Lakers.

Cerilli stressed the importance of resilience late in the game.

“Yesterday [against Laurentian] was a tough loss for us, but we knew we had to battle 60 minutes,” he said. ”It was the second period that killed us.”

“I thought today we played [the] better part of 60 minutes and we got the result we were looking for.”

Cerilli was happy Laurier players were blocking shots, an aspect that was incorporated into the matchup against Nipissing. Cerilli said the Hawks’ defensive zone was a little better and they capitalized on a couple of chances.

A blocked shot even turned into the game-winning goal.

“We had more blocked shots from our forwards. Our D is usually pretty good at blocking shots but [Mitch] Wright blocked a shot that led to a break away, [we] had it in their zone and we took a 2-1 lead off which started from a blocked shot.”

The Hawks go on the road against the Windsor Lancers on January 20.

Cerilli refocused himself for the task at hand as the Hawks chase Windsor in the standings.

Currently, the Lancers are fifth in the Ontario University Athletics West conference while Laurier sits in seventh.

“Windsor’s a tough place to play.

We beat them in preseason, but Windsor’s a team that’s ahead of us, and were chasing them down,” he said.

16 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Third quarter offence the difference maker for Hawks’ future success

Hawks survive fourth-quarter momentum swing against Badgers when Brock fan bus arrives DREW YATES SPORTS EDITOR

The Wilfrid Laurier women’s basketball team are a strong third quarter team. When the Hawks start the second half, they either build enough momentum that they bury their opponents or lose control of it and come up short.

This season thus far, the Hawks have scored 179 of their 612 points in the third quarter and sometimes it’s enough to maintain momentum going into the final quarter.

But momentum is finicky and can be lost as quickly as it is claimed. The Hawks have scored 153 points in the final quarter over nine regular season games and even then, momentum remains uncontrollable.

And so, with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter and a comfortable nine-point lead over the Brock Badgers Wednesday night, the sound of drums suddenly echoed in the Athletic Complex. A sea of red marched into the gymnasium, bringing a wave of momentum with them.

The Brock fan bus arrived.

“It was lucky that it was a stop play and all of a sudden I just heard this big noise and I turn and just see a stream of people,” fourth-year guard Kaitlyn Schenck said.

“What our coaches really emphasize is just focusing what’s on the court, so immediately tune it out and to just try and play your game.”

And just like that, momentum began its magic. The Badgers played

SHELBY BLACKLEY/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Courtney Bruce battles to the hoop during the January 13th game against the Brock Badgers. Laurier won 57-51.

with renewed energy, and in a game that was already tight defensively became even more difficult.

For Schenck and the Hawks, making defensive stops is a method they use to maintain momentum.

And they received the same medicine.

Whenever a Hawk found a lane in the paint, three Badgers immediately flocked to close it.

“When you saw a lane it was almost shocking,” she said. “You just

MEN’S BASKETBALL

went in and tried to finish as best as you could.”

Momentum shifted back when Courtney Bruce put an end to the Badger’s final push.

And with 29 seconds remaining, Nicole Morrison drained three of her 15 points to halt Brock’s comeback bid with an unreachable seven-point lead, eventually winning 57-51.

The Hawks held on, but it wasn’t pretty.

Head coach Paul Falco said the

girls did well in keeping their composure when the Brock fan bus came and closed it out, but still got a little bit rattled when the sea of red arrived. Nonetheless, it was still a good atmosphere to play in.

“Quite an environment there, especially in the second half,” Falco said. “A bunch of Brock fans and our crowd got a little louder as well. It was a good environment for the girls to play in.”

Schenck said controlling the

tempo of the game depends on the kind of team they play.

With transitional teams like Brock, it’s more important to slow the game down.

Point guards Morrison and Amanda Milanis judge the situation to determine the tempo of the game and refocus the Hawks when shots aren’t dropping or when Laurier is getting frantic.

But Falco believes the Hawks’ third quarter success is the result of adjustments and bringing a ton of energy back into the gym after a small break.

Momentum is all about how the quarters are closed, which Falco thinks the Hawks need to improve on.

“At the end of the quarters we gave up some easy baskets,” he said.

“But in the fourth quarter in the last couple minutes, we defended extremely well so we closed out that quarter a little better than the others.

That was definitely a factor in the game.”

But the Hawks’ 18-point third quarter against the McMaster Marauders wasn’t enough to hold onto momentum Saturday afternoon, losing 81-62.

If the Hawks look to find success on the road against northern opponents Laurentian Voyageurs and Nipissing Lakers, they will need to find a way to keep putting points on the board as the second half heats up.

Especially in the third quarter.

Laurier slips below .500 Streak extends to four games after two weekend losses KILLIAN CUPPAGE STAFF WRITER

Sitting a game under .500 this season at 4-5, the Wilfrid Laurier men’s basketball team lost their first two games of 2016, extending their losing streak to four.

The Hawks dropped their first match 91-67 to the No. 3 Brock Badgers during Wednesday night’s Winter Carnival game in front of a rocking home crowd and fell to the No. 6 McMaster Marauders 105-81 on Saturday.

Both losses came to nationallyranked opponents, but after Laurier started the season 4-1 and picked up an impressive early season win against the Western Mustangs, the Hawks could have been better.

The Hawks were run off their home floor twice in one week and lost by over 20 points in both games, which doesn’t set a positive tone to start the 2016 portion of the season.

“Disappointing last week, but we are in the middle of things,” said

“One game at a time regardless of home or away.”

SHELBY BLACKLEY/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laurier hosted Winter Carnival fans on January 13 in 91-67 loss to Badgers.

-Peter Campbell, men’s basketball head coach

head coach Peter Campbell of his team’s performance.

The Hawks were without Luke Allin in both games this past week and his absence has seen to hurt the team’s efficiency on offence.

In both losses, the Hawks shot less than 36 per cent from the field and were 11-for-46 on three-point attempts over both games.

The second-year forward is the team’s second leading scorer with 13.3 points per game and was shooting over 51 per cent from the field and from behind the arc this season.

Campbell said without Allin, opposing defences can focus more on Hawks’ leading scorer, fifth-year Will Coulthard, but is optimistic this will open up chances for other players on the team to step up.

So far, Coulthard appeared to have felt that extra defensive pressure and has struggled to adjust to it, shooting 25 per cent (7-of-28) from the field and just under seven per cent (1-of15) from three-point range over both losses.

Other players who have seen an increased role in Allin’s absence are Simon Polan-Couillard and Vlad Matovic.

Both have played well and each took a turn starting in place of Allin in the starting line. Both players provided a strong effort defensively and on the boards. Polan-Couillard collected seven rebounds and a block in his start against the Marauders and Matovic chipped in with three rebounds and a block in his start versus the Badgers.

“Disappointing last week, but we are in the middle of things.”

-Peter Campbell, men’s basketball head coach

With Laurier’s offence sputtering at 36.8 per cent on the year and bottom-four in the Ontario University Athletics conference it will be interesting to see what adjustments coach Campbell and his staff make to get them back on track.

Campbell said when the team’s offence is in a dry spell, he encourages them to focus mainly on their tempo.

“Through tempo and running a specific set to get a good shot for a specific player,” he explained.

A key stretch is coming up for the Hawks, with four of their next six opponents currently sitting with worse records than Laurier.

It will be interesting to see if the Hawks can get back on track on the road with five of those next six games away from home.

“One game at a time regardless of home or away,” said Campbell.

The Hawks are back in action on Friday when they visit the Nipissing Lakers in North Bay, with their next home game coming up against their division rivals, the Windsor Lancers, on January 27.